IRCTC gets relief from state commission on compensation

NEW DELHI: The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has stayed an order of New Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, which had directed IRCTC to pay Rs five lakh each to two railway passengers for selling soft drinks above the maximum retail price.

The district forum had imposed the punitive compensation on Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) on two separate complaints of overcharging fruit drinks.

IRCTC had appealed to the State Commission against the district forum orders. It said the complainants had produced fabricated invoices to prove that IRCTC had sold the fruit drink packets above the maximum retail price.

"This misled the Forum in awarding the orders of paying compensation," a release said.

The matter when came up for hearing before the State Commission, it observed, "Grounds mentioned in the application were sufficient, therefore, application is allowed."

It directed issuance of a notice to the respondents and stayed the operation of the orders during pendency of the appeal.